


Knight in Shining Lab Coat

by DearLadyDisdain



Category: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-25
Updated: 2019-06-25
Packaged: 2020-05-19 09:52:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19354597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DearLadyDisdain/pseuds/DearLadyDisdain
Summary: A party invite, and a last minute save that leaves Nick and Greg wondering about Hodges.  Another pre relationship Emma Lee and Hodges.





	Knight in Shining Lab Coat

David Hodges sat down at the break room table and set his coffee out in front of him, then set the chocolate dipped biscotti next to it exactly parallel, napkin next to that. This coffee break was the only one he took besides lunch, just this 15 minutes of zen with a fresh biscotti and mint cappuccino from across the street. Perfectly timed between getting there (usually an hour before anyone else) and lunch, which he sometimes never got to take.

But this break, this he made sure he got. Usually the CSI’s were still out gathering evidence and whatever was on his desk wasn’t a priority. He looked around and smiled, and today, it looked like he got the room to himself as well. He opened up the paper and let out a contented sigh.

“Hey Dave!” Archie said and dropped into a chair across from him. David slightly frowned from behind his paper and then lowered it. “Archie.” he said and nodded. Archie snickered and opened his soda. “If you didn’t want company, you shouldn’t be here at exactly the same time every night.” he said and David rolled his eyes and put the paper down.

“So, what’s new with you?” Archie said and wiggled his eyebrows. David frowned and said, “And what is that supposed to mean? You asking that and the whole eyebrow dance?” Archie laughed.

“Come on now, you know there’s rumors going around. I’m your fellow lab rat, you can tell me.” Archie said and leaned closer. “There is nothing to tell, Archie. I don’t even know what you’re talking about to be honest.” David said, confused.

“Then there’s nothing going on between you and a certain ballistics tech?” Archie said and grinned again. David shook his head and said, “No, there is not. Emy and I are friends, nothing more.” He picked up his coffee and went back to his paper.

Archie frowned and said, “Do I detect disappointment?” David didn’t get a chance to answer because the topic of conversation came into the room and flopped down next to David, putting her feet up in his lap. “Hey guys!” Emma Lee said, “Ooh, biscotti!” She reached over, snapped it in half - putting the half back without the chocolate and then took a bite of the other.

Archie just stared and tried not to laugh. “What am I? Your personal footstool where ever we happen to be?” David said and looked down at the purple painted toes with silver rings on them now in his lap, “And where are your shoes?” She held up her other hand to show a pair of black converse, then dropped them on the floor. David just shook his head.

“Emy, how’s it?” Archie said and grinned. “It’s good, Arch.” she said and winked. She recrossed her legs and adjusted her seat a little. “Will you stop squirming?” David said and sighed. He was trying very hard not to let his eyes go past her ankles, but they really wanted to follow the tattoo that started on top of her foot and traveled up, finally disappearing under her skirt at about mid thigh. 

Her feet in his lap were another problem all together that he was so far doing good not thinking about.

Archie’s phone went off and he looked down at it. “Gotta go. Catch you guys later!” he said and headed down the hall. David leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. Then he heard a sipping sound and looked back up.

“My coffee, too? Is nothing sacred?” he asked and she grinned over the cup. “You love me and you know it.” she said and winked. He just shook his head and sighed. “No, I think I’ve just become a masochist since you started working here. I blame Greg.” David said.

“Blame me for what?” Greg said as he came through the door. “Need you even ask?” David said and leaned his head in Emy’s direction. Greg just laughed and said, “Hey, I warned you.” He sat down with his coffee just as her phone went off.

She answered it, removed her feet from his lap slipping them into her unlaced shoes and started down the hall towards her lab. David watched her go and slumped in his chair. Greg just laughed. “She took my coffee, again.” David said.

“Nice try, but I know better.” Greg said and grinned at him. David looked back at him and said, “What’s that supposed to mean?” Greg just shook his head. “Just ask her out already, Hodges. You guys spend all your time together anyway, next to me you’re the closest person to her, and it’s obvious you’d like this to be a bit more than just friends.” he said and gave him a knowing look.

David opened his mouth and then shut it again. “She’s made it very clear she’s not interested in that kind of relationship, with anyone. I’ll be happy with what I can get, it’s better than nothing at all.” he finally said and picked at the other half of biscotti.  
Greg just looked at him and frowned.

“Man, that’s really sad, you know that?” he said and David didn’t look at him, “Have you even tried?” David shook his head. “I don’t want to risk it. There really hasn’t been a time where I could and not chance losing what we already have. How am I supposed to suddenly start wooing her without having a back up reason for it if it should go bad?” he said.

“You think too much.” Greg said and shook his head. David just shrugged and sighed.

****  
The next night Greg, Nick and David were all in the break room when Emma came in and dropped into the chair behind the fridge. “I’m not here!” she whispered and curled into a ball. They all looked at her funny and then back to themselves, trying not to laugh.

A couple minutes later Henry poked hi head in the door and said, “Hey guys, have any of you seen Emma?” Nick quickly hid his face in his paper, David shot him a look that would have dropped anyone else on the spot if they’d noticed and Greg just coughed and said, “Uh yeah - she said something about running across the street for coffee.”

“Great, thanks!” Henry said and left. “Is he gone?” came a voice. “Not permanently, but we can always hope for heavy traffic.” David replied. “Wow, it got cold in here.” Nick said and acted like he was shivering. David just gave him a wilting look.

“So what’s the problem?” Greg asked as Emma sat down with them. She dropped an envelope on the table and they all looked at it and groaned without picking it up. “Yeah, he’s been stalking me all shift to ask if I’ll go with him.” she said. “Tell him no.” David said. “You know him! He’s not going to accept No and leave it alone unless it’s No, I’m already going with so and so. Gods, this is worse than a high school prom!” she said and took the coffee from in front of David and drank some. 

He just shook his head and said, “Well, at least I got half of it this time.” Nick chuckled. “It’s all politics, Emy, not like a real date night thing. We get dressed up and sit and listen to a load of BS and make nice in exchange for a free meal and an open bar in the hopes some old guy there will leave the lab some money in his will.” Nick said and shrugged.

Greg was looking at David and getting a slow smile on his face. David caught it and looked worried. Greg got up and started to make a fresh pot of coffee. “Hey David, get me some water, would you?” Greg said and held out the pot. 

David looked, the sink was about 2 feet from Greg. He was about to make some remark but then Greg gave him a look so he took the pot and stood up to get the water.

“What is your problem?” David asked and handed it to him full. “This is it! YOU need to take Emma Lee to the yearly shindig. It’s the perfect chance for you to wine and romance her, all under the guise of saving her from Henry.” Greg whispered and then nudged him with his elbow.

David shook his head, “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea...”

Just then Henry reappeared. “Emma! There you are.” He said said and came in the room. 

“Bloody hell,” she said under her breath and then looked up, “Hi Henry. Yep, here I am.” Nick just looked down into his coffee and tired not to laugh as Henry sat down across from her.

“I was wondering if you had an escort to the Lab banquet this Saturday?” he said and smiled at her. She swallowed and for a second Nick thought she was going to throw up. 

“Of course she does, Henry. Do you honestly think someone like Emma wouldn’t have had a date lined up long ago? Does she look last minute desperate to you? Maybe you should try the temp pool.” David said and gave him one of his looks.

Nick looked at Emma and she looked back at him, confused, then looked up at David, who was still glaring at Henry. Behind him Greg was taking way too much interest in measuring coffee.

“Oh, no I didn’t mean....I’m...sorry, Emma. You hadn’t said anything.” Henry said, then noticed she still wasn’t saying anything and he narrowed his eyes at David, “So who’s the lucky guy?” 

Emma looked at him and then back to David and then to Nick and said, “Uh....” before David interrupted with a bored sigh and said, “Me, of course. Now stop bothering her and go cross contaminate something.”

There was a muffled laugh and then “Shit!” from behind him when Greg dropped the bag of coffee, almost sending the grounds scattering across the counter. Emma and Nick looked at each other and both their eyes widened.

“You’re joking.” Henry said and stared back at him. Before he could answer, though, Emma quickly turned to Henry and said, “Excuse me? What’s that supposed to mean?” “Oh, sorry..I mean, I didn’t mean...” Henry said and started to stand.

“5 seconds, Henry...” Emma said and he quickly backed out of the room leaving Nick and Greg doubled over laughing. “The absolute nerve of some people!” Emma said and then turned to David, “And you...”

He tried to back away and couldn’t because Greg was behind him. “You are brilliant! Why didn’t we think of that before?” she said, stood on her toes, grabbed both sides of his face and kissed him right on the lips. He heard a scraping across the floor behind him and was grateful when he landed in a chair that Greg shoved there.

Emma grabbed her coffee and hopped up on the counter across from him and he found himself eye to bare knee.

“Now I’ll get left alone and those temp pool chickies will lay off you, as well. We should have done this weeks ago. Hell, we should have told everyone we were dating and then we wouldn’t have to deal with any of it!” she said and laughed. Her phone went off and she looked at it and rolled her eyes.

“And so it begins.” she said and hopped down and he found himself eye to something else and quickly shut them. “Hey Mandy....no, he’s not lying. Because I want to....for your information, he’s one of the nicest guys in the lab not that any of you bothered to notice!” she said as she walked out of the room.

Nick looked at David and snapped his fingers in front of him. “Hodges? You okay, man?” he said and frowned. “Oh shit, Nicky. What do I do now?” he said, looking terrified.

Greg shoved a fresh cup of coffee in his hand and sat down next to him. “You go rent a nice tux, buy some flowers, maybe rent a car.” he said. “Why would I rent a car?” David asked. “Your beater isn’t exactly the kind of car you want to drive her to something like this in, David.” Nick said and shook his head. 

“Fine, which car should I use then? The Mustang or the Impala?” David asked. Greg laughed and said, “Funny, nice to see your feeling better, though.” “I’m not joking. I have a 67 Mustang and a 69 Impala in storage. Which do you think she’d prefer?” he said and then looked at their blank stares, “I like to fix up cars, it’s relaxing.” 

“Um...are either of them black?” Greg finally asked. “The Impala, of course.” David said, as if there were any other color. “That one, she loves black cars.” Nick said, still dumb struck. What else did they not know?


End file.
